Apparatus for building pneumatic tires for automobiles



E. HOPKINSON A\D H. V. LOUGH.

APPARATUS FOR BUILDING PNEUMATIC TIRES FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICAHON FILED APR. 24. 1919.

1,410,309. Patented Mar. 21, 1922.

.v 1.... 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- E. HOPKINSON AND H. V. LOUGH.

APPARATUS FOR BUILDING PNEUMATIC TIRES FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED APR 24, I919.

1 %1,309, Patented Mar. 21, 1922.

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- idly operating machine in which the built-up ATEN-T OFFICE.

" EENm fEorKINso OF NEW YORK, N. T2, AND HECTOR v. LOUGEI, or HARTFORD,

CONNECTICUT; sun LOUGE assIeNoE or HIS ENTIRE RIGHT To TEE EAnTTOED RUBBER WORKS COMPANY, a CoErOnATIo-N or CONNECTICUT.

' Arr nATUs FOR BUILDING PNEUMATIC TIREs FOR AUTOMOBILES.

ima es.

To all whom it may concern: a

Be it known that we, ERNEST HOPKINSON, a citizen ofthe United States of America, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, and HECTOR V. LOUGH, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident f Hartford, county of Hartford, and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Building Pneumatic Tires for Automobiles, of which the following is a full, clear,and ex act description. a I

This invention relates to apparatus for building tires, and is of special utility in connection yvith inventions such as disclosed in Letters Patent Nos. 1,289,767 issued to Ernest Hopkin son on December 81, 1918, although we contemplate the use of our improvements in any field for which they are adapted by their nature. l

The primary object of this invention is to provide a compactly organized and rap components of atire, previously assembled in the forin of a pulley band, will be'converted into a tire casing of substantially circular or U-shaped cross-section, by. an Operation semi-automatic in character, requiring little attention from the operator besides the replacement of successive pulley bands for the building operation.-

An object of special importance is the organization of the several instrumentalities in such relation that the building operation proceeds toward a retractable abutment ad jacent to the region where the completed work is doffed, thus obviating delay in unproductive steps of the operatlon.

Still another object is to standardize certain of the'working parts so thatnot only can the feeding operation be facilitated by serial replacement of a set of supporting members carrying each its appropriate pulley band of a given size, but als'othe machine can be quickly changed to operate on other sizes, by the simple substitntion'of the req- 7 nisite drum parts for any given size of tire.

.For a clearer understanding of our inven- .tion, reference is made to the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a View in verticalsection, with parts shown in elevation, of a tire-build- 1919. Serial No. 292,346.

ing machine in the construction of which locking devices sprung into position;

Fig. 3 is a view in plan of said machine, with parts broken away to reveal other parts more clearly; and

Fig. 4: is a view in cross-section of the -.unvulcanized casing and associated parts after the'same have been removed from the machine. I r

In the embodiment of our invention selected for illustration and description to permit ready and complete understanding of our improvements, the part designated by thereference number 1 is a base of any suitable material and construction, and provided with a supporting structure which preferably includes'a vertical central pillar 2 constituting the main operating axis of the ma'chine a series of abutment levers 3, mounted pivotally-on the base'at 4, anda frame comprising posts 5 bolted to the base at 6 and united by a yoke 7 carrying a cena" sliding head 9 connected with the levers "S by adjustable links 10, serving to operate able source, not shown, the plunger 11 havj i- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented M 21 Application filed April 24,

tral post 8 which serves as the bearing for ing' a radial flange 14, apertured at15 and I 16 to pass the levers 3 and posts 5 -re spectively, the rim of the flange being free pcripherally to receive interchangeably the tirebuilding members, which may be varied in size, style and arrangement, according to the work to be performed, the parts already described being preferably of relatively ,standard structure in any given machine,

although we contemplate such modification of their structurefrom that illustrated as may be required by the exigencies of particular installations.

As one convenient arrangement of. time building members, we have shown a series of substantially cylindrical drums in telescopic relation and having a differential movement progfessing toward the region at which the work is dotted, near the upper part of the machine, in accordance with an important object of our invention, which, as already stated, is to facilitate replacements in feeding such machines.

The telescopic drums illustrated comprise a base drum 17, seated at 18 upon the rim of the flange 1 1, which may be rabbeted to afford a firm seat, this dimension being fixed throughout the interchangeable series of drums 17, while the upper rims of the drums 17 respectively capable of use on such a machine may vary in diameter. so that instead of a drum 1? being in the form of a frustum of a cone, as shown, to operate upon a relatively small tire, its walls may be straight, or suitably bulged outwardly for larger tires, the upper rim of each drum preferably ha ving, however, substantially the same inwardly grooved operating lip as that shown at 19, in the absence of special reasons for varying the same. Handles 20 may also be provided, for convenience in replacement of the drum 17. u

\Vithin the drum 17, we provide a sectional cylindrical drum, comprising drum members 21, 22 and 23, stacked vertically upon a central spider 21. having suitable means, such as the pinions 25, meshing with racks 26 and 27 upon the posts 5 and plunger 11 respectively, to causea differential upward movement of the sectional drum members 21, 22 and 23 synchronously with the upward operation of the drum 17, but at a slower rate. the peripheries of the sectional drum members being substantially flush with each other, to allow free movement of the drum 1?, and the drum members 21 and 23 having smooth exterior bearing surfaces to receive abutment rings 28 and 29, free to slide thereon, and the adjacent co-operating split locking rings 30 and 31, the ring 30 being carried in the groove 19 of drum 1?. while the ring 31 rests upon the abutment member 29.

The abutment rings 28 ,and 29 are of substantially right-angled cross-sectional shape, one leg of the angle forming an inward extension lying adjacent to the surface of the sectional drum, while the other leg projects outwardly therefrom to be engaged by the rim 19 of drum 17, and by the fingers 32 of the abutment levers 3, respectively, the lat ter being notched at 33 to receive the split locking ring 31; The middle drum member 22 is provided with grooves 48 into which the locking rings 30 and 31 may contract, as shown in Fig. 2, when brought opposite the same in the operation of the machine.

The middle drum 22 is provided with an expansible tube 34, having an inflating yalve 35 projecting through an aperture 36, and this tube preferably remains in place upon the drum. being removable therewith from the machine together with the abutment rings 28 and 29 and the locking rings 30 and 31, occupying the position shown in Fig. -1, after removal of the drum member 23, which may be swung up out of the way upon a hanger 37 comprising hooks to engage the, drum eyes with a flexible cord 10. leading over pulleys 11 to a counterweight 12.

Prior to such removal, the drum members 21, and 23 will all be lowered to the position of Fig. 1. and the abutment levers 3 retracted radially. through the drum slots t3 provided for that purpose, by moving the head 9 upward manually. The drum member 23 can then be raised by means of the hanger 37 and swung out of the way, and the drum member 22 with its associated parts can be lifted over the head T of the frame and removed. leaving the remaining parts of the machine ready to receive another drum member 22 with the tube 31 and pulley band 17 required for a tire-building operation. the drum 1? and drum member 21 occupying the position of Fig. 1 ready to rewire the drum members 22 and 23 and their associated parts.

The operation of our improved tire-building machine is then as follows A retaining ring 30 is slipped over the head T and down along the drum member 21 until it rests within the groove 19 of the rim of drum 1?, and an abutment ring 28 is similarly applied and brought to the posi tion shown in Fig. 1, whereupon the middle drum member 22, or a similar one, with a deflated tube 341, will be set in place, occupying the position shown in Fig. 1, supported upon the upper rim of the drum member 21. which is preferably rabbeted as shown at -11 to afford a firm seat, and if desired additional means to insure stability of this joint may be provided, as by the use of pin and slot connections such as those indicated at 45, one being provided also between the middle drum member 22 and the upper drum member 23, the latter having preferably at 416 a similar rabbet to afioi'd a firm connection with the drum member 22, so that the drum members 21, 22 and 23 constitute a unitary structure, movable as such up and down along the vertical axis of the machine.

The next step will be to slip the pulley band over the drum members 23, 22 and 21 into the position indicated by the dotted lines 47.

Having the pulley band 47 in place with its lower edge resting against the abutment ring 28, and its upper edge in approximately the position indicated in Fig. 1, with its central portion opposite the middle drum member 22 and over the deflated tube 31, the up per abutment ring 29 and the split ring 31 will be placed over the drum member 23 and moved down to bring the former into contact with the upper edge of the band 47, as shown in Fig. 1. and the head 9 will-be moved downward to force the swinging abutment levers 3 outward radially until their fingers 32 are in such position that the fingers 32 will constitute a fixed upper abutment. engaging the abutment ring 29, and receiving the split ring 31 within the groove 33, these two rings being forced slightly downward temporarily, if found necessary to permit the fingers 32 to clear the ring 31 in their outward swing.

All the parts now occupy the positions shown in Fig. it, and power is applied by the introduction of fluid under pressure through the tube 13 to the plunger chamber 12, causing upward movement of the plunger l1 and its flange 14c to move the drum 1? upwardly, carrying with it the abutment ring 28 and the split ring 30, while the abutment ring 29 remains in tired position, as already indicated.

Concurrently with this upward movement of the drum 17, the tube 34 is preferably indated by the admission otcompressed air through the valve 35, which forces the medial portion of the pulley band outward radially as the abutment ring 28 moves upward with the lower edge of the band t7, and at the same time a differential movement upward of the sectional drum members 21. 22 and 23 is caused by the action of the upwardly moving racks 27 upon the pinions 25. which latter run upward in mesh with the fixed racks 26, so that throughout the terms ing operation the medial line of the member 22 is maintained exactly in the medial plane of the pulley band. The medial portion of the band has therefore been forced outward radially into a symmetrical cross-sectional shape at all stages of the forming operation.

The movement upward of the drum 1? is continued until the abutment rings 28 and 29 amume the relative position shown in lFig. 2, seated one on each side ofthe medial line or plane of the drum member 22. with the split rings 30 and 31 adjacent, the latter having contracted into their retaining position within the grooves -18 of the drum member 22. The unvulcanized casing and associated parts 47 then occupy the position shown clearly on a larger scale in Fig. 4, where the same are shown after removal from the apparatus. the abutment rings 28 and '29 receding from the position shown in Fig. 2 into that of engagement with the.

rings 30 and 31. as indicated in Fig. 4.

Referring to this Fig. 4. it will be understood that the inner tube 34: preferably contains air under pressure, but not under suflicient pressure to cause the band to be expanded to full tire size and shape. it being ready for furthertreatment in other apparatus "forming no part of the present invention. I

hen the tire-building operation has been thus completed the drum member 22 and the expanded pulley band are at the upper por tion of the machine as shownin Fig. 2, and after a slight, downward, recessive movementof the cylinder 11 and consequently of I bers relatively to each other being sufficient to unlock the pin .and slot joints 45.

lhe' parts will then be ready for a renewal of the building operation above described, which may be carried out upon the same size of band. or diti'erent sizes may be operated upon by suitable substitution of appropriate drums, abutment rings. and. split locking rings, so that our improved tire-building machine may be regarded as universal in its applicability to operate upon difierent sizes and styles of tires, any of which may be built thereupon with the same advantages in rapidity of feeding and in accuracy and steadiness of operation as has been demonstrated to accompany the operation of the apparatus hereinbefore described with respect to a single example of tire.

Having thus described our invention, and suitable means by which the same may be carried into efiect. we wish it to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the specific materials and structural forms selected for illustration and description, nor in general do we limit ourselves otherwise than as set forth in the claims read in connection with this specification.

What we claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States of America is:

1. A tire buildingmachine, comprising a support having means to receive a pulley band to be formed into tire shape, andmeans totorce the medial portion of said band outward radially. in combination with means serving as a fixed abutment for one edge of said'band while the medial portion is being forced outward. means serving as a movable abutment for the other edge of said band.

and actuating mechanism for said last means.

'2. A tire building machine, comprising a -support adapted to receive a pulley band to be formed into tire shape, and means adapted to force the medial portion of said band outward radially, in combination with abutments for the edges of said band as it is forced out, a series of stop members for one of said abutments retractable radially to clear said band for removal and replacement after'its formation into tire shape, and actuating mechanism for the other abutment.

3. A tire building machine, comprising a support adapted to receive a pulleyband to be formed into tire shape, and means adapted to force the medial portion of said band outward radially, in combination with abutments for the edges of said band. a series of stop levers for one of said abutments mounted pivotally upon said machine and retractable radially to clear the path of said band and co-operating parts, and actuating mechanism for the other abutment.

l. A tire building machine. comprising a support adapted to receive a pulley band to be formed into tire shape. and means to force the medial portion of said band outward radially. in combination with means serving as a fixed abutment for one edge of said band, said latter means including a series of levers mounted pivotally upon said machine and retractable radially to clear the path of said band and co-operating.

parts: also means to move one of said tire edges toward the tire edge adjacent to said fixed abutment means.

A tire building machine, comprising a support adapted to receive a pulley band to be formed into tire shape. and means to move the medial portion of said band outward radially. in combination with a plurality of abutment rings in engagement with the tire edges, means to hold one of said rings in fixed position and means adapted to move said other abutment ring toward said fixed ring. concurrently with said out-ward radial movement.

6. A tire building machine, comprising a cylindrical support to receive a pulley band to be formed into tire shape. and a plurality of abutment rings movable in telescopic relation with said cylindrical support as the edge portions of said band move toward each other, in con'ibination'with means to limit the movement of one of said rings. means to force the medial portion of said band outward radially. and means to move said other ring. said instrument-alities cooperating to form said band into tire shape. 7. A tire building machine. comprising a sectional drum to receive a pulley band to be formed into tire shape, and a plurality of abutment rings movable in telescopic relation with said drum. as the edge portions of said band approach each other, in combina- 8. A tire building machine, comprising a sectional drum to receive a pulley band to be formed into tire shape. said drum having a removable medial member, a plurality of abutment rings and co-operating locking rings slidable relatively to each other along said drum, and means to hold one of said abutment rings with its co-operating locking ring in fixed position. in combination With means to impart a differential movement to said drum and said other abutment ring and its locking ring, and means to cause movement of said band into tire shape surrounding said medial drum member, and to lock the same in position thereupon for removal from said machine.

9. A tire building machine, comprising a sectional drum to receive a pulley band to be formed into tire shape, said drum having a removable medial member, a plurality of abutment rings and co-operating locking rings slidable relatively to each other along said drum. and means to hold one of said abutment rings, with its co-operating locking ring, in fixed position. in combination with means to impart a differential move ment to said drum and said other abutment ring and its locking ring, and means to lock said band in. position upon said medial drum member for removal from said machine, said 95 medial drum being provided with an inflatable tube to force the medial portion of said band outward radially during the tire form ing operations.

10. A tire building machine. comprising a 100 drum. abutment rings encircling and telescopically movable upon said drum, means for forcing one of said rings toward another while holding the latter fixed. and means for locking said rings against subsequent accidental separation.

11. A tire building machine, comprising a drum having a medial drum member with peripheral locking grooves. a plurality of abutment rings and locking rings in sets, encircling said drum. on either side of said medial drum member. an expansible tube located on said medial drum member. means for moving said drum and one of said ring sets toward another of said sets, and means for expanding said tube surrounding said drum, with said locking rings in said grooves.

12. A tire building machine, comprisin a vertical cylinder, abutment rings an means to expand a pulley band encircling said cylinder, means for imparting a differential movement to said cylinder and one of said abutment rings relatively to another of said rings, and means for locking said rings against outward movement.

13. A tire building machine, comprising a plurality of superposed drums forming a cylinder, rings and means to expand a pulley band encircling the cylinder, means for movraioeoo i-ng certain of said rings and said cylinder toward another of said'rings. and means for locking certain of said rings on one of said drums.

ll. A tire building machine. comprising a cylinder adapted to support a pulley band to be formed into tire shape. and means for maintaining the edge portions of said band clear of said cylinder during relative coaxial movement of said cylinder and said pulley band.

15. A tire building machine, comprising a cylinder, rings and means to expand a pulley band encircling said cylinder. said rings having inwardly. projecting extensions adapted to support the edges of the pulley band clear of said cylinder. and means for moving said cylinder with certain of said rings in co-operation with a fixed ring serving as an abutment for one edge of said band. to cause movement of said rings concurrently with the movement of one edge of said pulley band as it is caused to approach the other edge by said expanding means.

16. A tire building machine. comprising means to expan the medial portion of a pulley band radially outward while its edge portions approach each other. a fixed abutment for one edge of said pulley band. a movable abutment tor the other edge thereol. and means to operate said movable abutment. said expanding and abutment operating means being operated respectively by fluid pressure.

17. A tire building machine. comprising a. support for tire components assembled in the form of a pulley band. means to expand said pulley band radially. and means actuated by fluid pressure operating upon the edges of said band to form said band into tire shape.

18. A tire building machine. comprising a cylindrical. sectional drum support for tire components assembled in the form of a pulley band. a fixed abutment and a movable abutment to confine the edges of said pulley band. and means actuated by fluid pressure to expand said band radially and to operate said movable abutment concurrently with relative movement of the edges of said band toward each other to form said band into tire shape.

19. A tire building machine. comprising a central pillar. an actuating plunger mounted telescopically thereupon. and having an actuating flange. a drum mounted on said flange. a cylindrical sectional drum within said former drum and adapted to receive a pulley band. and means to cause difl'erential movement of said drums to move the edge portions of the pulley band toward each other,- in combination with means to expand the medial portion of said band radially outward.

20. A tire building machine, comprising a series otdrums in telescopic relation adapted to receive a pulley band. means to cause difierential movement of said drums coaxially. and means to expand the medial portion of the tire radially outward. incombination with means to confine the edge portions of said pulley band as they move toward each other.

21. A tire building machine. comprising a base. a series of abutment levers mounted pivotally thereon. a series of posts havingo racks also mounted on said base, and provided with a yoke having a bearing. in combination with a sliding head on said hearing connected operatively with the free portions of said abutment levers to actuate the same radially. a central pillar having a sliding plunger provided with operating racks and an actuating flange. a drum carried by said flange. and a sectional drum arranged telescopically between said former drum and said plunger. and adapted to receive a pulley band. said sectional drum having a pinion operable by said racks to impart a diderential movement to said sectional drum upon operation of said plunger. and means to expand the medial portion of said pulley band radially outward causing movement of the edge portions of said band toward each other. i

22. A cylindrical. sectional drum for tire building machines. said drum comprising a plurality of drum sections. including a medial section connected removably with said other sections and having a series of grooves to receive locking rings. said medial section being adapted to receive a pulley band and having means to expand said band radially.

23. A tire building machine. comprising a base, and drum-operating mechanism thereon constructed and arranged to receive interchangeably. and toactuatesets of instrumentalities to receive and operate upon pulley bands of different sizes. with devices to force the central portion of said bands outward radially and causing movement of the edge portions thereof toward each other.

2-l. A tire building machine. comprising a base provided with drum-operating mechanism. including members having drum-receiving portions of predetermined dimensions. to receive sets of drums and pulley bands of undetermined sizes. in combination with means to expand said bands radially and adjustable abutment members to co-operate with said devices regardless of the size thereof.

25. A tire building machine comprisin a support adapted to receive a pulley ban to be formed into tire shape, means for forcing the medial portion of said hand outward radially. and means acting upon the edges of the band 'for bringing them into proximity.

26. A tire building machine comprising a'support adapted to receive a pulley band to be formed into tire shape, a fixed abutment against which one edge of the band is disposed, and means for simultaneously radially expanding the medial portion of the band and forcing the other edge into proximity to the first one.

27. A tire building machine comprising a support adapted to receive a pulley band to be formed into tire shape. means for preventing bodily movement of the band, and means for moving one edge of the band in an axial direction toward the other.

28. A tire building machine comprising a support adapted to receive a pulley band to be formed into tire shape, means for preventing axial movementof one edge of the band. and means for simultaneously moving the remainder of the band radially and also axially toward said edge.

29. A tire building machine comprising a support for a flat pulley band tire casing, and means for differentially moving one of the casing edges and the support relatively to the other edge.

30. A tire building machine comprising a support for a flat pulley band tire casing, a fixed abutment against which one edge of the band is disposed, and actuating mechanism for imparting a differential movement to the other edge and to the support relatively to the fixed abutment.

31. A tire building machine comprising a cylindrical support for a fiat pulley band tire casing, a fixed abutment against which one edge of the band is disposed, a movable abutment for the other edge, an means for imparting a differential movement to the movable abutment and support relatively to the fixed abutment.

32. A tire building machine comprising a cylindrical support for a flat pulley band tire casing, a fixed abutment againstwhich one edge of the band is disposed, a movable abutment for the other edge, and means for imparting a two to one differential movement to the movable abutment and support relatively to the fixed abutment.

33. A tire building machine comprising a sectional support for a fiat pulley band tire casing, 21- fixed abutment for one edge of the band, differentially movable means including said support for imparting an arched shape to the casing and transferring it to one section of the support, and means for locking the arched casing in posit-ion on said section.

34. A tire building machine comprising a three-part sectional support for a flat pulley band tire casing, a fixed abutment for one edge of the band, differentially movable means including said supportfor imparting an arched shape to the casing and transferring itto the intermediate section, and automatic means for locking the casing in position on said section.

Signed at New York city, New York, this 4th day of April, 1919.

ERNEST HoPmxsox.

, HECTOR V. LOUGH. 

